President Higgins to receive honorary degree from Edinburgh University

Michael D Higgins will receive an honorary degree from Edinburgh University today.

President Higgins will be presented with a Doctor of Laws during a ceremony at Edinburgh's Usher Hall on the second day of an official visit to Scotland.

The president met on Monday with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and hailed the historic ties between Scotland and Ireland during an address to Glasgow's Irish community at an event at the Govanhill neighbourhood centre.

Mr Higgins said the heritage, culture and language of the two nations were ''deeply interwoven'', allowing for a ''profound connection and understanding" between their people.

On Wednesday the president, who is joined on the trip by wife Sabina, will address MSPs at Holyrood and meet with Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh.

Mr Higgins will leave Scotland for France the following day ahead of a commemorative event to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.